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“You Don’t Know What I’ve Done – I’m Evil”
If I had a cup of coffee for every time I’ve heard that line, I’d be on a permanent caffeine buzz! Let me give you:Shock # 1: God already knows everything you’ve thought, said and done, and He’s not surprised.Shock # 2: If (not that they did) Hitler, Stalin, Osama Bin Laden and all others like them accepted Jesus as their Savior before dying, they’ll be in Heaven. If you don’t accept Jesus, you won’t!Shock # 3: If you really believe God will not forgive your sins – please post a note to this blog. I want to know who the FIRSTPERSON in ALL HISTORYthat God will not forgive. The only unforgivable sin is to not accept Jesus and the sacrifice He gave for all of us.God’s Promises:Acts 2:21 / Romans 10:13:All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.Romans 5:8: God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.Romans 3:23: For ALL have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.
Is this only for the “Big” sins? No – God hates all sins; great or small. Now for one of the most famous Bible verses:John 3:16,18: For God so loved the world He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.1 John 1:8-10: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins (to Him), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleans us from ALL unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (emphasis mine)
What it comes down to is what do you want? If you’re happy with this world and all it has to offer, this is all you will ever get. If you care about your “eternal future”, you MUST consider God’s offer to you.1 John 5:12: Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
What to do… Pray directly to the Father; confess your sins TO HIM; ask His forgiveness and ask that Jesus be your Savior. If you mean it, not just saying the words, the Holy Spirit will come to live with in you.
Does this mean you will never sin again – NO. Remember, ALL have sinned, however after accepting Jesus, you can ask forgiveness whenever you do slip and sin.
To help you better understand this, I recommend you read Romans in either the New American Standard or English Standard Version Bible. It will help you in your new journey with the Father. It is not easy, however the eternal reward is absolutely worth it.
God will never force you to accept Him or Jesus. You have the free will to reject Him. However, if you do accept His free gift, He will accept you no matter what you have done. Once you are His child, your sins will never be remembered by Him again. Also when you do sin, Re-read 1 John 1:8-10. That’s your lifetime warranty in writing.
We are not guaranteed one more day here. Consider now as the time to act. Bless you!

This world is going through some major changes, and most not for the better. All around we see violence increasing and just the mention of the name JESUS brings extreme negative feelings. Even the simplest references are met with lawsuits and accusations that the person is a “Hater”. Good news, God knew this would happen from the very beginning, and He’s coming for us soon.
In Genesis 3:15, God tells the serpent that “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” God already knew He would send His Son so we would have the perfect sacrifice.
In Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with His stripes we are healed. (This is Jesus being refered to over 500 years before His birth.) Isaiah was given the insight of what our Messiah would go through.
Make no mistake, the Jews were and Are His chosen people. Even though the majority of them today (about 97%) do not accept Him as Messiah, the day is coming soon when All His chosen will realize just who He is.
The good news, ALL who have chosen God through His Son Jesus will not have to be here to suffer the wrath. The most revealing verses are in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. These verses are not the Second Coming, but an event known as the Rapture.
Who is this person called Jesus? Many people today say He was just a prophet and didn’t really die on the cross and be raised again. Some say He never claimed to be God. How about John 14:6 – I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Me. Sounds like a claim to me.
There are many verses that tell us of the Love of the Father for us, and what our precious Savior has done for us. The Bible is a 66 book Love Letter from God! We are offered a gift that cannot be purchased or earned because Jesus did it all at the Cross. He purchased our pardon with His blood and earned the right to accept those who accept Him.Revelation 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If you will open the door, I will come in and dine with you and you with me. He promised that if we accept Him, the Holy Spirit will live within us, and He will prepare a place in Heaven for us.
The world is rapidly turning away from Jesus, and satan doesn’t care if you believe in God, but not His Son. He gives you the biggest lie by trying to convince you to delay your decision. He wants you to be with him in the Hell Fires – and yes, Hell is a real place.
Jesus is the only way to the Father, yet almost 70% of Evangelicals today are being taught there are other ways. Big Mistake! What is most important is you tell Jesus you want Him in your life and ask Him for forgiveness for your sins. That’s it. If you ask, He will accept. Please do it today – He won’t wait much longer.

In Matthew 18 verses 21 and 22, Peter asked the Savior if he should forgive his brother 7 times. Jesus answered and said 70 times 7. This does not mean 490 times, but actually an infinite number. Could you just imagine God saying oops! You’ve reached 490 and that’s it. Into the fire you go! Doesn’t work that way.

By saying you must forgive those who’ve wronged you does not mean you have to accept the “wrong” done to you. You just have to forgive the one(s) that did the wrong(s). God is willing to forgive ANYONE: Hitler, Mussolini, Osama Bin Laden, etc – if they had repented – truly repented – before they died, they will be with the Savior today. Remember what Paul said in Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fallen short. If God wanted to, He could condemn all of us to the Hell Fires!

Now, does forgiveness mean you have to trust the wrongdoer? NOT! A person can forgive a child abuser, or someone who has committed sexual assault for example, but that does not mean that person has to trust that person again. You are expected to LOVE that person though.

Now, speaking of love, this is not the type of love that is shown of a parent-child; husband-wife’ boyfriend-girlfriend; etc. This is a “Creator-type” of love. God loves all of His creation and expects us to do the same. Does this mean He will tolerate anything? Think of Sodom/Gomorrah; Babylonian Captivity just as two examples. Had there been repentance before these took place, they would not have taken place. In Sodom, all that was needed to save the city was 10 righteous souls. What about Nineveh spoken of in Jonah? They repented and were spared. Later – within a couple hundred years they went back to their old ways and were totally destroyed.

Jesus gave us two GREATEST commandments:

(Luke 10:27) Love God; Love each other! Of course this is paraphrased, but you get the gist!

We are to Love People for their souls. Judgment of their souls is not our problem. One of the worst abused lines in the Bible is Judge Not! Matthew 7:2 is always put in the wrong context. We are not to Judge Men’s souls, that’s God’s job. We are to judge their actions. If a person commits murder, we can say the actions are wrong and be biblically correct. To say the murderer cannot be forgiven is wrong.

Corrie Ten Boom gave a very good example of just this scenario. She spoke at a conference about forgiveness. After the conference, she was approached by a man who she recognized as having been one of the prison guards at the Concentration Camp where her father and sister died. He asked if she really meant what she had said, and she said she did. He asked her for forgiveness. He had been brutal to her and her family. She admitted that she herself could not forgive without the Father’s help. She put in the Father’s hands and allowed Him to help heal her heart. Even though she could not condone what was done to her and her family, she allowed God to give her the strength to get past that moment.

To carry unforgiveness in our hearts leaves an opening for satan. If we dwell on something or someone that has wronged us, we give the demons and satan a foothold to steal our joy.

Our Savior gave the best example of forgiveness on the cross. He had an advantage because He knew what was going to happen. This moment had been prearrainged even before the formation of the earth. However, He loved those persecuting Him so much He was able to ask for their forgiveness for their actions. He left room for them to repent later if they would. If they did not, they will face Him again at the Great White Throne judgment. You cannot erase what has been done, but you can take away another person’s power over you to cause hate to enter your heart.

Know that no matter what, God loves you! He loves us all. He hates what we sometimes do. There is mention of certain acts that are abominable to Him, but there is only one sin that He will not forgive. He wants you to accept His Son so that you will be accepted – 1 John 5:12.

Remember, the Creator’s life blood was shed to cover all our sins if the sinner will repent and ask for forgiveness. This is found in 1 John 1:8-10. To not do so is to deny God loves us, and this is calling Him a liar. God doesn’t lie.

Don’t let someone else keep you from the Joy the Father has in store for you. He has promised a home for us when we leave this earth. Don’t put off what you know needs to be done today. We’re not promised tomorrow. If you take your last breath on this earth without accepting Jesus, your eternity is set – in the fires of Hell

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. ∽Revelation 12:11

Believers overcame Satan because they were covered by the blood of Jesus Christ; because they were covered in Jesus blood they were able to testify of Jesus saving grace. They weren’t afraid of losing their own life because they knew they have eternal life in Christ Jesus’s death.

Sometimes, it hard to overcome but if we can grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3: 18-19) Then, giving that burden or discomfort to God (1Peter 5:7) is easier because we know His love. That His perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18)

Saving blood

But to truly overcome you need the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in your life. Realize this: “There is no one righteous, not even one; ᶦᶦthere is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ᶦ²All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” ²⁰Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Romans 3:11-12) If you do not have Jesus shred blood covering your sins then you live in the law. The law says “no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law”; but we will become sin conscious if we live in the law. People who live in the law think doing good will save them but again if you are not covered in Jesus’s saving blood you are in law and ‘no one will be declared righteous in His sight if they are observing the law. (Romans 3:20)

By the blood of Jesus Christ

But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who ‘believe’. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption (payment) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies (righteousness in God’s sight) those who have faith in Jesus. ²⁷Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. ²⁸For we maintain that a person is justified (to be made righteous) by faith apart from the works of the law. ²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, ³⁰since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³ᶦDo we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans3: 21-31)

God saving blood puts us in a right relationship with Jesus Christ which then saves us from the evil one. This righteousness from God comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ. For you to receive Salvation you need to have faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation means deliverance and there are three stages of Salvation; first, forgiveness of sins (Romans 4:6-8); second, the filling of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6); and deliverance of the coming wrath (Romans 5:9).

His Blood

∻Jesus Christ’s death was one of sacrifice (Ephesians 5:2) and offering of His blood and life in exchange for you.

∻Jesus Christ didn’t die for Himself but He died a selfless death for us. (Romans 5:8)

∻Jesus Christ who had no sin became our substitute and became sin for us. (2Corinthians 5:21)

∻Jesus Christ death became propitiation for us; meaning Jesus’s death appeased God’s righteous demeanor so that it removed the wrath against the sinful man. Christ’s blood reveals His mercy and grace towards us that have a way out. (Hebrews 2:17)

∻Jesus Christ death gives us victory over sin, guilt, shame, etc… We can now be overcomers because Jesus Christ shred His blood for us. (Romans 8:3)

Overcome

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. ∽Revelation 12:11

So, brothers and sisters endure hardship with us like good soldiers of Christ Jesus. (2Timothy 2:3) For our prize is not in this earth for this will pass away but in the new heaven and new earth. (Philippians 3:14) We are to look heavenward as we watch and pray for our life is in Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:4)

Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him, we will also live with him; ᶦ²if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; ᶦ³if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. (2Timothy 2:11-13)

If we remain steadfast in Christ fleeing from evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrel. ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2Timothy 2:22-26) Then, he who remains steadfast will stand firm in the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13)

If you are struggling to be steadfast or with sin the word says: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ᶦ³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and lay bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13) The scriptures are God’s living word that can reveal the secrets in your hearts as we read His word. The word will uncover our sins and change us through time so that we will reflect the heart of our Father in heaven. The word is God’s voice to us through our hard times and good times and the Holy Spirit will use it to convict our hearts.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7b) As you read His word do not harden your hearts but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. (Romans 12:2) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

Overcome by the Blood

We who are overcoming are covered in His blood but you who are not…come to the cross where Jesus Christ took on our sin, endured and overcame death and is reigning with God in heaven…look to the cross where Jesus shred His blood and atoned for our sin and ransom Himself for us (1Timothy 2:6)…come to the cross for the forgiveness of sins and believe that Jesus Christ was born, that He lived, died, rose and is seated at the right hand of the Father…come to the cross and surrender your dreams and passions and ask Jesus Christ into your heart so that you will reign with Him forever more. Come to the well and we will make you an overcomer in Christ Jesus.

Thank you, Father that your word is living and active and is changing us into overcomers. Thank you, Father that your shred blood brought us life ever after. Thank you, Lord that you endured the cross which has set the captives free and given us the Holy Spirit that motivates me to look up.

I pray for your people that they will flee from the things that harm and don’t deliver. I pray that your people will step up to the call on their life to do more. I pray that they will overcome with their life and ask you into their heart to die to the flesh so that they can live forevermore in Jesus Christ. Help us to do what’s right and not stay in our sin. Help us read the word ever day so that we can begin to house clean our lives and to live a hope of you coming in the clouds. In Jesus Christ name, I pray. Amen.

Come on and steal my show…come on and follow me…come on and show me up…The Lord has put in place a set of rules and patterns for us to follow; so that we can step up into his shoes and be where we are called to be. God hasn’t called us to be couch potatoes as Bruce Wilkinson writes in his book “The Dream Giver”. He has call us to follow Him into His ministry of bringing souls to Christ, to healing the sick and raising the dead, to prophesizing, and the list goes on. The Lord says in his word “and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39)

So where does this take us?

In Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” The Lord wants to make you men and women who bring in the lost souls, the great commission. (Matthew 28:18-20) You can become pastors, teachers, evangelist, missionaries, writers, translators, prayer warriors, watchmen, and whatever else the Lord is calling you. But, first Jesus says “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) Do not start your mission without receiving the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit will give you the power and authority to witness and do miracles in Jesus Christ name. (Luke 4:14) The apostles devoted themselves to prayer while they waited to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:14; 9:11-17) Jesus also devoted His time to prayer and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 22:41; Matt. 4:16-17)

Baptize in the Holy Spirit

Soon after being baptized in the Holy Spirit the disciples started going out in twos to minister. (Acts 2:4; 2:14-47) This happen also with Christ that He started ministering soon after receiving the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:16; 4:17) The pouring out of the Holy Spirit was a fulfillment of God’s promise in Joel 2:28-29 and afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. ²⁹Even your servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. So, do not leave your city or church and go into the mission field without receiving the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was tempted by Satan

Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days and nights preparing himself for his ministry and Satan came to tempt Him. Jesus was hungry after fasting that long and Satan came to tempt Him to eat. In the book “The Dream Giver” the main character is Ordinary and he wanted to do something extraordinary in his life. He didn’t want to stay a couch potato all his life; he wanted to be different. Ordinary’s hardest task was to just get off his couch; fear took over. What if I fail? When Ordinary finally embraces his dream and leaves his comfort zone; he encounters bullies just as Jesus is encountering with Satan. But, Ordinary’s bullies were people like his mother, uncle, and best friend how was he supposed to continue on. Ordinary then encounter’s and old friend called Champion and he tells him “Remember,” he said, “when Bullies try to block your way, what matters most is who you choose to please!”

Jesus knew who He wanted to please and that was His Father God. Jesus says in the word, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (John 1:18) Jesus Christ was able to conquer Satan because He carried inside Him the One and Only person He wanted to please, God. Jesus also had the power of the Holy Spirit to protect and guide him through the questions of Satan. When facing the unknown who do you want to please? Who do you want fighting your battles for you? I choose to please the one and only Jesus Christ and make Him known throughout the world. Do not let the bullies in the land make your decisions for you; but choose to remember why you decided to walk this path in the first place. Fast and pray so that your journey through life will be honoring, humbling, gaining of understanding, seeking of God guidance, convicting of one’s sin, receiving of the Holy Spirit, and sustaining you through temptations. The Lord says in his word “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:46) Let us mirror God’s reflection so that we will glorify His name in the earth not our name but Jesus Christ name.

We are to serve

Jesus came not to be served but to serve so we are called to do the same. (Matthew 20:28)

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. ²He will not shout or cry out in the streets. ³A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; ⁴he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on the earth. In his law the islands will put their hope. (Isaiah 42:1-4) God put His Spirit on Jesus Christ so that He will bring justice to the nations. Jesus put His Spirit in us so that we will bring the good news to the nations. The word says that He doesn’t need to shout or cry out in the street; because we are servants of our mighty God. Servants are underneath someone else and they speak with quiet integrity to please their masters; but they are not weak either. The scriptures are clearly telling us how to act when we serve. Servants are faithful to the one they serve they will not be discouraged because their hope is in the Lord.

We are to be witnesses

He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:46-48) We are to be witnesses for Christ directing people to the gospel by sharing the cross experience with others so that Jesus Christ name will be heard throughout the earth. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

We will suffer for His name sake

When we choose to follow Jesus we will suffer for righteousness. Apostle Paul is an example of suffering for Jesus. He mentions in his letters of wanting to visit churches especially in Rome to preach the good news; when Paul arrives in Rome he’s in chains. But, before Paul arrives in Rome he encounters storms, shipwrecks, and many other difficulties. (Romans 27, 28) Does this sound like your journey so far with the Lord? I know it is mine. What does the word say again about Jesus ³A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; ⁴he will not falter or be discouraged. (Isaiah 42:3-4) This is our walk too. We are a bruised reed that cannot be broken…we are light that won’t go out…we are faithful…we will not be discouraged…because we put our hope in Jesus Christ; not in ourselves but to the One and Only God Jesus Christ. We have received power from on high to stand for Jesus Christ; just as Jesus Christ stood for His Father.

But we are not perfect and we will struggle with our own actions: A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7) Our own actions can cause undue suffering if we indulge in smoking or heavy drinking; there are consequences. If we tell untruths and complain you reap what you sow.

We will also, struggle with our inner self with the things of the world (2Peter 2:7-8). We love righteousness and we see others doing wrongful acts and we distressed over it.

Satan and his comrades will make our life and interesting one. Satan can give scriptures and speak to you and if you do not test the Spirits He will give you a merry dance. (1John 4:1-3)

Only a few find it

Now maybe you will understand the commitment involve in following Jesus Christ. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:14) Many are not willing to lay down their lives for Christ. Ordinary in the “The Dream Giver” saw many fallen comrades who couldn’t make it beyond the valley of giants. Even though Iwalk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4) Ordinary was told to “beware of unbelief”. “Unbelief is more dangerous them any giants in the land.”

When you repent and believe on Jesus Christ you are acting out the word faith. It’s through faith that we are saved, forgiven, healed, and sanctified. (Matthew 9:2, 22; 15:28; Acts 11:24; Romans 1:17) Faith is an action word. Ordinary was moving forward through faith in each stage in his discovery. Just the same that we do when we repent, believe on Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit we are acting in faith. God rewards the faithful by upholding which means supporting, defending, encouraging and sustaining us through the bullies, valley of the giants, Satan’s temptation, and our unbelief.

Promise of eternal life

Everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. ᶦ⁶ “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ᶦ⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. ᶦ⁸Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Repent and Believe

“Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.

I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Please Jesus forgives me, for every sin… (Name each sin to the Father) I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.

I give you my life back and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.” Amen.

Thank You

Thank you, Father that you call us to righteousness and truth. Thank you, Father that we are to become imitators of your walk on earth so that we bring justice to the nations. Thank you, Lord for your promises that you will send your Holy Spirit to all people and that you will sustain us through good and bad times.

I pray for the believers who are called to step up and move forward in faith and receive the Holy Spirit so that they can witness to others about the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Surround them with your people who will pray and support them through their sanctification process. Bless your people, protect them and keep them from evil. In Jesus Christ name I pray.Amen.

“If any one of you is WITHOUT sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her… At this, those who heard BEGAN TO GO AWAY ONE AT A TIME, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.” JOHN 8:7&9

Something dynamic just took place here that is often overlooked. The men who brought the adulterous woman to Jesus to convict her suddenly were SELF-AWARE of THEIR sin.

They were confronted by their sin, as was the woman in that moment. In their interaction with Christ THEIR SINS were opened, if not to the public at least to their conscience!

However, instead of joining this woman at the feet of Jesus they WALKED AWAY. They didn’t want to DEAL with their sin. They didn’t want to deal with the DIRT that was on them.

What’s beautiful is that the non-religious adulterous woman DIDN’T LEAVE. As Jesus knelt down to doodle in the ground and the Pharisees started to leave one-by-one, she COULD HAVE quietly slipped away as well.

When she was in the presence of God she received the GRACE that was being freely offered and allowed Jesus to CLEANSE and FORGIVE her sin that had dirtied up her life.

Sometimes we do not want to come to Jesus dirtied with sin. Sometimes it’s EASIER to just slip away quietly and not have to deal with the very thing that is dirtying up our life.

My sons Kaleb (5 years old) and Joshua (3 years old) were playing outside one day. Kaleb thought it would be funny to dump dirt on Joshua’s head. Joshua came crying to the front door and he looked up at me with dirt all over him. As his tears were making mud streaks down his face he said to me in his raspy-scratchy-husky little voice, “Boo Boo (his name for Kaleb) dumped dirt on me.”

I snapped at Kaleb and told him to never do that again, but then I looked at Josh (with dirt all over him) and my heart melted.

I brushed the dirt off his head and gave him a kiss. I remember tasting dirt but it didn’t matter because of my love for him. I took him inside and gave him a bath to make him fresh and clean again.

The next day they were outside and Kaleb did it again. I reprimanded him and embraced Joshua (again) and all his dirt.

As a father I did not reject my son. I only rejected the dirt that’s on my son. It is my love for him that continuously chooses to clean him up. It’s my love for him that spurs on such a deep commitment for care and cleansing.

It would break my heart if Joshua did not come to me OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again to be cleaned up. I would always have a passion to rid him of the dirt that was on him.

God is the same way with us. Regardless if we are embarrassed, if we feel shame or guilt He so desires for us to come to Him and cleanse us from our wrong doing (no matter what it is).

Today, choose not to be like the Pharisees and walk away. Not letting the Lord cleanse you from the sin that dirties up your life.

However, learn something from the adulterous woman, in this sense – that once she was confronted with her sin, she DID NOT walk from Jesus but STAYED at His feet and RECEIVED forgiveness.

When we own up to our sin and allow ourselves to be transparent before the Lord it is at that point we can have the freedom we long for and we can walk clean again before our Maker.

When I read this verse I can’t help but think about the subject of FORGIVENESS (among other things), and here’s why. When we love like Jesus loved, then we begin to FORGIVE like He FORGAVE.

In LUKE 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, FORGIVE THEM, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Here Jesus is being wrongfully punished, like a criminal and yet His prayer to God was to ask Him to FORGIVE these people. This forgiveness could ONLY BE MADE out of LOVE.

His love CAUSED Him to EXTEND FORGIVENESS in the midst of abuse and being mistreated.

When we DO NOT forgive we ARE NOT operating with the same LOVE that Christ had or has.

EMBRACING the fact that Jesus forgives you and I SHOULD give us the STRENGTH to forgive others.

Growing up, I was very fortunate because my dad modeled how to say, “I’m sorry.” But he didn’t stop there. He taught me how to forgive.

Many times my dad would sit me down and admit some fault that he committed against me.

It typically was something like, “I’m sorry that I flew off the handle.” “I’m sorry that I didn’t give you an opportunity to share your side of the story.” “I’m sorry that I spoke to you in that manner.”

My typical knee-jerk response was to tell him it was okay. But he would fire back and tell me it was not okay and then he would solicit something from me. He would ask, “Will you forgive me?” To which I always would say, “Yes” and then he and I would move on from there.

My father’s humility taught me a few things: One, real men admit when they’re wrong. Two, it’s okay to ask for forgiveness, and, three, the IMPORTANCE of granting said forgiveness.

Forgiveness is NOT an easy subject to embrace, simply because it comes with a lot of different emotions. At times we may have difficulty exercising forgiveness. WHY? Because the pain caused by others runs deep.

However, we still need to remember that Jesus said for us to love others as HE HAS LOVED US (JOHN 15:12).

Jesus was all about RECONCILIATION and RESTORATION. He was NOT ABOUT revenge, writing people off, and holding people in bondage to past mistakes.

When we HOLD people hostage to their past behavior, they’re trapped by our bitterness. Our hurt imprisons them to their past mistakes; so they’re jailed. And for some… they may not even know it.

When we DON’T FORGIVE, not only do we hold people hostage to their mistakes, but also, we become IMPRISONED by our very own UNFORGIVENESS. We IMPRISON ourselves to the pain caused by others.

Unforgiveness is like a magnet that draws the enemy in. Satan convinces us that we have the right to be angry (forever) and he stirs the pot of negative emotions, which produces that sick feeling inside, and not only does it imprison others but us as well.

God desires for us to FORGIVE and live FREE from past hurt and bitterness.

Remember, we’re the jailer and we have the “key” of forgiveness. The question is will we CHOOSE to use the key to set others and ourselves free?

“Anyone, then, who KNOWS the good he ought to DO and DOESN’T do it, SINS.” JAMES 4:17

Can we just be adults about this verse? I mean, let’s not avoid the sin issue in our life.

We seem to understand that when we DO something wrong it’s a sin; especially breaking the law, etc. What we seem to forget is that when we DON’T DO something that we KNOW is the RIGHT thing to do, that very well could be a SIN ALSO; especially when the Lord is asking something of us.

The general context here in doing good is to take God into every aspect of our lives and 100% depend on him. If we know we SHOULD DO this and yet we PURPOSEFULLY CHOOSE NOT TO we are sinning.

However, there is a broader application to this verse; kind of like little 13-month-old Emry.

My wife Tiffany watches a beautiful little girl name Emry. She has lots of personality and spunk.

The other day Emry pushed open the bathroom door downstairs.

Tiffany heard her saying, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.” She walked around the corner into the bathroom to see Emry holding her sunglasses and dunking them in the toilet. Tiffany said, “Emry…” and before she could say another word, Emry looked up at her with her baby blue eyes and said, “No, No,” as she continued to dunk Tiffany’s sunglasses in the toilet.

Tiffany just shook her head and went into cleaning and disinfecting mode. By the way, there was nothing in the toilet. THANK YOU JESUS!

Tiffany thought, “Emry was telling herself no because she KNEW in her little heart that what she was DOING was probably wrong but yet she willfully chose to continue to dunk my sunglasses in the toilet.”

What’s crazy is that we as adults are guilty of the very same thing. We DO things that we know we SHOULDN’T do and we DON’T do things that we know we SHOULD do. The difference between Emry and us is that it’s cute when Emry does it as she’s LEARNING to obey and deal with her sin nature for the first time in life. Many of us have been walking on this planet for decades and yet we still do what a 13-month-old child does… Just in different ways.

We need to understand that yes we have a gracious, loving, merciful heavenly Father who is ready to FORGIVE and FORGET when we confess our sins. Jesus will forgive even if we DELIBERATLEY do or not do something that would be considered a sin.

The challenge for today is to put some effort into NOT sinning by what we DO or what we DON’T do.

May we NOT take for granted the grace that God is so willing to give us in 1 JOHN 1:9 – “If we CONFESS our sins He is FAITHFUL and JUST to FORGIVE us of our sins and CLEANSE us from all UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Let’s remember that we’re NOT as cute as Emry and we need to choose to watch our DO’S and DON’TS moving forward.

The climb at first sight seems unattainable and risky but when you include a team of experts with your calculations than you see the end in sight. This is true with anything you do from scaling that rock wall to chartering a plane to Haiti’s; you plan using others input to make your plan come together. So, you would also need others to guide you on your journey to your heart.

My experts consist of counselors, pastors, Holy Spirit, Bible, authors, and church family they know me best. Trying to make this journey on my own would take me nowhere really fast. I tried that once and it was a disastrous to think I could accomplish what others do in a day, month, a year. Silly really…

Why did I think I could do this on my own? Let me give an example that the Holy Spirit gave me:
Looking across Lake Bountiful (my name for lake) I saw Jesus Christ on the opposite shore. I thought gazing at the water it would be a short distance I can swim this. So, I set out at an easy pace and found that there was a under current and looking up at the shore I wasn’t any closer. Getting tired I turned back and found myself back at my side of the lake. Scanning the shore I notice a boat and pulled it over and got in and set the oars to start my journey again. Again, my focus was not on Jesus Christ but my ability to pull on the oars to glide across the water. Looking behind me I wasn’t going across but going down stream. “AWWW!” Turning the boat around and focusing on the horizon and rowing at the same time was hard and tiring. I was caught in whirl pool spinning me out of control and was back on my side of the shore. “Aw!” Dropping to my knees I cried “Lord, help! I can’t do this on my own. It looked so simple. I thought I could do this. I was wrong. Please, Lord Help.” Standing up I gazed across the water and I found myself staring into my Father’s eyes the bluest of blues and I reach out and I was in His arms and He held me tight.

When you experience the arms of Christ and His forgiveness it transforms you to another place and person. All of sudden you are not alone in your plans for your future you are asking for others input. You are praying for God’s will be done in your life. The Holy Spirit pricks your heart and you begin to change and forgive. Why? The Lord forgave me of my sins for He gave up His life for me. So, I can have a life with Him. A relationship that brings tears to my eyes… When I think of all He has done for me and is still doing for me; my heart wells with love.

My Jesus is real and there is nothing I can do that will send Him away. He says in his word that He will never leave me or forsake me. (Hebrews 13:5) The Lord has a plan for me for hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) The Lord fights for me. (Deuteronomy 3:21) There is hope for a tree if it be cut down it will sprout again.(Job 14:7)

Do you know that the door is always open (John 10:9) for you. When you approach this door do it with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). Focus your eyes on the prize which is Jesus Christ. God raised us up with Jesus Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 2:6) We who are sealed with Christ have everlasting life. But, you who do not know Jesus Christ and is still playing at the gate will have fire and damnation. We do not know when are time is up on this earth we can die tonight in a car crash. Do you want to take that chance?

The Lord is waiting for you to come out of this world. I lived in this world through some horrific times do I want to repeat that time? No!!! My time now is hard with unemployment but the Lord keeps blessing me with His presence and His provisions. Life is good. My hope is in the Lord. I trust Him with my life and future. I can’t imagine life without Him. He is the hand that guides my walk I do nothing without Him. Jesus is light to my darkness.

Come to the waters of Lake Bountiful and give your life to the one whom will turn your tears into hope. In His arms you will find rest from your burdens. In His arms you will find peace that passes all understanding. In His arms you find refuge and strength in times of trouble. In His arms your heart will flourish and grow in the likeness of your Father. In His arms you will have eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Lord that I do not have to do this life alone. You have given me eyes to see and ears to hear. You have given me a church family that prays for me and we have life together.

I pray Lord, that you draw your people to yourself and impart your Holy Spirit to live in their lives. Give them wisdom and strength to walk this path. Put your angels around about them keeping them safe. Bless them, extend their boundaries, and keep them from evil in Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Does My “Ex” Want Me Back?

I had one of those “my ex-wants me back dreams” the other night. If you have not experienced one of these, I liken it to the dreams where I make a regrettable choice. I have one such dream where, being an ex smoker, I casually light up a cigarette. I feel at first, caught by the surprise of the feeling of satisfaction as I draw in a breath. But this is quickly disrupted by a sense of foreboding and instant remorse. All of the “ex wants me back dreams” are the same. Things seem casual and light, then my dream mind starts reeling knowing I am about to make bad choice.

That all said, this “ex-wants me back” dream was not like that at all. This dream was different. I did not have the predictable emotions: like the satisfaction “winning” my ex back or the confusion of making choices I was not given in real life. So, I woke up puzzled. I found that in the dream, I was just simply feeling kind. I had this genuine forgiving heart. Unlike the previous “ex” dreams my dream mind did not jump ahead to what my actions all might mean. My dream mind didn’t retreat into digging up the past to find ammunition, or fuel to fend off making a regrettable decision. My dream mind just observed what was happening, and I just was kind. In the dream my “ex” even questioned the change in me. My dream self told my dream “ex” that it was all because I (more…)

I Can’t Deny that Forgiveness is Good but…

Years ago whenever I heard teachings on forgiveness, I didn’t listen too closely because I felt I was a very forgiving person. There are many wise sayings about forgiveness, and I could pay them all lip service, but I didn’t need them. And while forgiveness can be considered a “spiritual” matter for some, the Mayo clinic acknowleges the importance of forgiveness. Still, I fooled myself into believing that forgiveness was not a problem for me.

Dismisal Hinders Forgiveness

Before taking steps on “how to forgive” It is important to acknowlege a need to forgive or be forgiven. Part of the problem may have been misunderstanding whatforgivenss means. I was mistaking “write off” for (more…)

You know, betrayals and disappointments are common occurences in our daily lives, they hurt deeply that insecurity becomes the only result thereby building a brick wall to a peaceful relationship with others. Often times, we rule out love from our hearts against those that have hurt us deeply because if they had genuine love, they wouldn’t have hurt us like they did, they wouldn’t have said what they said, they wouldn’t have divorced us, they wouldn’t have stabbed us in the back, they wouldn’t have told on us with the wrong intentions, they wouldn’t have taken what rightfullly belonged to us, bla, bla, bla……….. The truth is, people have hurt us one way or the other and we have also hurt other people (maybe* not as much as we’ve been hurt). However intense the hurt may be, i’ll like you to ponder on this.
The intensity of the pain we feel when people betray us and even disappoint us is also thesame way God feels whenever we fail Him or pretend to genuinely love him.

Genesis 1:27So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Let me reiterate, the intensity of the pain we feel when people betray (to fail or desert us especially in time of need) us, is also the way God hurts when we fail Him. Because we are created in God’s image and likeness, everything He is, we are, however He feels, we feel, etc Our hurts are as a result of people failing us, betraying us, deserting us – so also God. God hurts when we do not show him that we love Him by doing what he has commanded us to do, or we keep going back to our wicked and sinful ways; John 14 vs 23 & 24; and when we continually disobey Him, the Holy Spirit grieves.

Ephesian 4:30And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Let me tell you my little secret – When people hurt me (they always will, while some do it on purpose others hurt you without knowing), however painful it gets I just turn to God and say, for the countless times I might have hurt you and grieved the holy Spirit without knowing, please forgive me and also, forgive the one that has hurt me because they’ve only drawn me closer to you. Guess what? He releases His peace in my heart……(Fulfilling His Word in John 14:27).
Don’t dwell on the the negative things people have said or done to you, instead, turn to God and ask for the special grace to please Him. That way, He’ll teach you to walk right with Him, give you the peace that surpasses human understanding and reward you with that which you truly deserve.

When the sky meets the earth a miracle happens and man says its science. The eyes of the unseen have not the sight to see that no big bang could ever achieve such greatness. If they were given the eyes to see they would see with a newness of spirit the brilliance of this creation. They wouldn’t be concern with the environment, instead focus their eyes on the creator who made it and will keep renewing it.

We are all concern for our future and not on our relationship with our Lord. We have become self-absorb with our needs that we stop focusing on our path to freedom. We forgot that all roads lead to Christ.

I have been rereading Matthew 15:1-20 it’s not about washing your hands that make you unclean but what comes out of your mouth from your heart that makes you unclean. I knew that I had unclean thoughts and I was closed off not just from the Lord but from others. My angry, sickness, and depression were outward signs that not all was well. It is time to stop the deception and ask for forgiveness.

I am sorry Lord that I have been consumed with me and my issues that I removed myself from everything around me. I have kept my issues close to me and not giving them to you. I have walled up my heart so I couldn’t be hurt by anyone, Lord. I was keeping my distance because I was angry with you. I give you my heart that you will take from it the dark places that makes me stumble. In the place of the dark places put peace, joy, perseverance, long suffering, and love. Encompass about me songs of deliverance that will permeate everything around me like a cocoon of safety that I may grow in your likeness until the day you come.

We cannot run far enough away from our Father’s love for us. The signs of HIS love are all around us from the big bright sun to the delicate tiny fingers of a new born baby His love permeates everything around us.

We are the Lord’s one small miracle after another. You were created to be loved by the Father. There is nothing you have done that the Lord won’t chase after you like HE did for me.

One thing I have learned through my journey is HE NEVER gives up on me.

The massive 9.1 earthquake in Japan recently has many people fearing the worst-world end! Combined with other world earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, famines, global warming , and extreme weather conditions there is evidence of other troubling issues across the globe. There have been out breaks of new health threats like H1N1, and terrible diseases without known cure, pestilence problems like the recent epidemic of bed bugs, and a surge of violence and criminal activity greater than ever before. Our economy seems to get worse by second and the crippling effects of hard financial times can be seen and felt all over the world. Many fear these terrible things are clues that point out disaster. Could this be a severe warning of catastrophe? What can be done to prevent this horrible outcome, and is it too late? What can we do as individuals and families to ready ourselves and be prepared for the future? Can anyone escape from this terrible threat? With so many gripped with fear and bracing for worst, these are the type of questions that fill the hearts and minds of people today. The answers to these crucial questions have been discovered and the outcome is astounding and may come as quite a shock .

The bible warns of these same concerns and very issues. It is written clearly for all to read. These hardships and major world issues should not come as a surprise to the discerning person. All of the events that are taking place have been foretold in the bible and if you have not yet read these scriptures, you may be surprised to see how accurate and detailed these prophetic messages actually are.

Matthew 24:5-8 (Amplified Bible) 5For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [[b]appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place; 8All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the [c]birth pangs [of the [d]intolerable anguish].

It is amazing how these prophecies, written so long ago, so accurately depict the picture of our world condition today. This world is definitely spiraling towards a great tribulation. As seen in the previous scripture of Matthew 24:8 all of these things are just the beginning of a time of the intolerable anguish that lie ahead. As terrible as things are today, they appear to be just a taste of the great tribulation to come. These words and promises are not meant as a source of fear and dismay. On the contrary, these prophecies are words of hope and offer peace in a world of a turmoil. There is another scripture that reveals salvation from the aweful terrors that are to come. You see if we can identify the truth in these prophecies we should also not be oblivious to the hope that is available. There is hope and there is a way of escape from the terrible times that are most certainly and rapidly approaching.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g]16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Clearly the ultimate source of hope for humanity is found in Christ Jesus. He lived here on this planet amongst us and performed many great miracles. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf, cast out unclean spirits and raised the dead and still His greatest miracle was His greatest sorrow and greatest joy.

He gave up His life for us. He was brutally beaten and mocked and hung on the cross for death. He died there in a place called Calvary. Despite the fact that He had never sinned and remained clean His whole life, He took all of our sins upon Himself. He was buried in a tomb. Then just as it had been pre foretold, on the third day He rose from the dead. Jesus was resurrected from the dead! Jesus is alive! He later ascended to heaven and can now be found at the right hand of the Father. He is our mediator, and friend. He represents us earnestly with love and compassion. That is the true message of Easter and by far the greatest news of this day and age.

The events that are taking place right now in our world herald a great tribulation to come. These events are the direct result of sin and evil. No one on earth is perfect or without sin but according to bible there is a way to be saved from sin and the terrible events that are now unfolding right before our very eyes.

Hebrews 9:28 (New Living Translation)28 so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

1 Peter 1:5 (New Living Translation)5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

Receiving the salvation and assurance of eternal life is as simple in believing in Jesus Christ and accepting the fact that you are in need of saving. All one must do to be saved is ask Jesus to come into their heart and forgive them of all their sins. Then God will make you a brand new creation and if you truly believe it, God will transform you and lead you and guide you during these uncertain times that we face. Although we are not promised that we will not have to endure trials and tribulations, we are promised ultimate salvation through Jesus.

Now is the time to pray and Jesus come into your heart. He understands what you are going through and He will not be hard on you. Jesus wants to save you. But there is no guarantee how long we have before Jesus returns to get His people. According to Matthew 24:36 “However, nooneknows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
All those wait, thinking that time is on their side live in jeopardy and face the dangers of judgement and punishment for all eternity.

Please take time right now, while there is still a chance and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Tell others about the ,hope and love you have found. Want to learn more? Read the bible and begin attending church and studying God’s word daily. Read more articles like this on the Success and Failure website. You too will learn that no matter what terrible fate this earth may face that there is truly great hope and complete assurance in God.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Pam Shekailo

Please write to me if you more questions or concerns. I would be happy to hear from you.

Remember watching the old poison tea trick in the movies. The angry person of the two, decides to sit down and have a friendly cup of tea with his enemy. The angry and bitter subject poisons the cup of tea that his enemy is supposed to drink. But, somehow; the wrong cup of tea is ingested. The bitter person drinks the poison and waits for the other to die. Surprise!

The same thing happened to the Coyote and The Road Runner. He would appear to be nice and put some bird seed out for the bird. The Road Runner would eat it and move on down the road. The Coyote, already in several disputes with ACME, gives the bird seed a nibble. He is instantly reduced to a cloud of smoke and an accordion body.

Who are we killing with bitterness? We spend all of our day dreaming up ways to spike the next tea, spread the next rumor, or go way (and I mean WAY!) out of ordinary routine to let someone know we are displeased with them. It does not seem that stupid while it’s going on. Until we realize that the investment in ACME has also wiped out our peace and joy account.

What do you say today we pick up the exploding bird seed and make things right? Does that mean the other person is going to change today? Nope! Does it mean we will? Yep! And at the end of the day, the only control we have over our neighbors is the example they see.